This one was way more challenging than I imagined - and again, I have myself to thank. But I had all these grand ideas about reflections and flames and maybe I will still do that - but with the biggest holiday on the harvest calendar this week I had no chance to even THINK about it, let alone do anything to act on it. HA! So here is my pic, taken with my trusty iPhone in the grocery store last night:
It still makes me smile. Nando's is a South African brand, and you can't usually get South African stuff at local supermarkets. I am not sure if we have a pushy salesperson to thank, or if the buying manager at Hannafords just brought these in on a whim, but thankful I am! And it is not because I like Extra HOT Peri-Peri Sauce, but because I stood in the aisle of the supermarket staring into space for ages and ages thinking of Nando's back home, and how my mom would buy a whole lemon herb Nando's chicken for our dinner with some delicious Nando's bread rolls and a home made salad. Um . . . YUM! So, this pertains to flame because it is SO frikkin' hot, and because we refer to 'exes' in South Africa as 'old flames' and so, the country herself has become my old flame now that I am married to America. Sigh. I do miss her, pity she was such a drama queen! Claire next:
I was on a hot air ballooning team when I was younger so I would recognize this site anywhere - and this is the crack of dawn no doubt! This is something I recommend, no, make that HIGHLY recommend every person does at least once in their life. Claire - did you go up? Mariette:
A candle through cracked glass. Isn't it lovely? So this week I thought I would play out with a song, since I am officially up to date - a celebration is called for, don't you think? Here is a song from The Flames, an underground South African group from, I am guessing, the late 70's. The song is Restless and it is from their Soul Fire album.
Two more and I am up to date - well, for the moment anyway. Claire's photo first this time:
Again, poignant, beautiful, sweet. Nice job Claire! Next up, Mariette:
My neighbor woke up early one morning and took a bunch of frosty photos too. Both Mariette's photo and her beautiful takes made me want to get up early the next morning and go play. However, since I am not a morning person, it didn't last very long ;-) Here is my take:
I love the warm golds and cold blues in this photo - and I did nothing to play with or alter the color, it was just dusk and the sky was a cold blue and as somebody who paints often, it made me think of my art teacher (blues push things away Pam, they are in far off mountains and receding shadows. Warm colors bring things forward and draw your eye . . .) SO! Instead of getting up early to take frosty photos, maybe I will stay inside, put some hot cocoa on and paint a picture instead ;-)
YAY! I am FINALLY posting in the same month I am taking photographs in. It's pretty cool, I like it, I may even keep it! First up Mariette:
I just LOVE this photo. It rocks. You did a terrific job Mariette! Prizewinner for sure. Next up Claire:
This is what is interesting about Claire - she is so likeable and easy to talk to when you meet her, and she has this energy about her. If I asked you after spending the first five minutes with Claire to give me three words to describe her, I don't think 'romantic' would be on your list. But her photos are all so beautiful, poignant and sweet. She is most definitely a romantic (although not a hopeless one). There are layers to Claire, and I love seeing the world through her eyes. Me next:
Trick or treat, give me something good to eat, if you don't, I don't care, I'll pull down your underwear . . .
This was taken just before Halloween, we took all the kids to a spooky corn maze at midnight! One of my farmers plants this massive corn maze each year - you can't see over the tall stalks, he uses obstacles like bridges and you get a treasure map and need to find things - it is wicked cool. This year he opened it at night time, and by torch light it is a whole other experience! The kids LOVED it! I think Halloween has to be one of our favorite holidays' - it is up there with Christmas!
This theme, chosen by Claire had to lead to some very human moments for sure. Mariette is first with a photo of her husband:
Interesting how much we as woman love our husbands hands, the hands that hold ours, and make us feel safe and cared for. Claire's photo:
Little Mia had a 'trash the cake' photo shoot - touch is everything to babies, they are so tactile and learn so much about their unexplored worlds. I always wonder what they are thinking, and what smooshy cake must feel like for the first time. Mine:
I often wish I spent more time taking beautiful photos with my beautiful camera instead of just iPhone snaps on the fly. Oh well. Hopefully I add value to the TUM team in other ways (although I am never on time with my photos, my posts are always late, I never 'blog my heart' . . . I guess I am just lucky they love me anyway).
This, I have to say, was not one of my favorite themes. And I chose it. Usually, I would have so much fun with it, because I am constantly marveling at how many circles are within a circle - a second within a minute within an hour within a day . . . life is full of cycles, and repetition. Nothing stands on its own in this world of ours. Fingerprints may be unique, but they are made up of lines repeating a pattern. However, this notion was far, far from being captured by me, and I think it is just because I was so busy, still, here is my photo:
It is of a blind in our house. Rows and rows of grass and stitching. I checked, and it was made in China, and I had to wonder if there was a machine that stitched it or if it was done by hand, and if it was done by hand, how many hours did it take? There are some anomalies in the pattern which makes me think it was done by hand, but then I didn't pay nearly enough for them, certainly no where near what should have translated into a living wage which makes me feel so guilty I want to take them down. But I do love them, and then all that hard work would have been for nothing, so I have consoled myself with the fact that I should just appreciate them and admire them very often - which I do. And be more careful next time I buy something! Mariette's photo:
This is beautiful, and instantly made me think of home, even though it wasn't taken anywhere near South Africa. What a lovely and out of the box take Mariette - well done! And Claire (who is finally back - YAY!!!):
Claire has promised to explain the link of this chair to repetition, I am guessing that it has to do with the number of frames she took - Claire?
Okay - I am going to be very American right now and say omg! OMG! OMG!!What the heck happened to October and November? This year as flown by and I don't know how we got to Christmas carols and twinkly lights so fast. I also don't know how I fell so, so far behind. So here we go, quick catch up this morning . . . and we begin with Mariette:
Love it, I can just picture lying on a blanket under the tree, a light breeze blowing and the shade dappling and dancing across my face. Ahh - if only us big people in our busy worlds took time to lie on blankets under trees. My pic:
This was on one of our many walks. Kira LOVES her walks, she gets excited if we drive down a road with lots of trees because she thinks we are going to stop and get out. I love our walks too, always so pleasant and as evidenced by my many 'outdoorsy' photos, the scenery is always changing and there is always something to look at. And I found this: Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. ~ Rachel Carson
I have no idea who Rachel Carson is, but I think I might like her.
